Improved spike



A @with tetes @sind ffice.

JOHN MMURTRY, VOF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY. Letters Patent No. 66,100, dated June 25, 1867. i

IMPROVED SPIKE.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN MCMURTILY, of Lexington, Kentucky, have made certain new and useful improvements in Spikes for Railroads; and I hereby declare that the following isa. true, full, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l, in the annexeddrawings, which are made a part of this specification, represents the spike before it is driven into the wood. p i

Figure 2 is a plan View of my improved spike when in plu-ce.

The letter A represents the body of my spike, in the wood, which is gradually curved from the head B to the point 0 afterit is driven .into the wood. Near the point of the spike a shoulder, D, is made.. When the spike A is driven home it will describe the segment et a circle, and, the shoulder D, being at a right angle Withthe spike, will eut away the Wood in a corresponding direction, thereby forming a barrier suiicient to resist any attempt to withdraw the spike A from its place.Y i v The advantage, of my spike overthe one in common use will be easily seen. '.lhe straight spike, :1s-seen in iig. 1, will have the disturbing force from the pressure vof the car-wheels acting in aline with the spike, which, by constantagitation, will soon become. loose and eonsecpiently Worthlessy With a curved spike the ease is otherwise, for theV pressure, in place of being in a vertical line, a'ctn on it at an angle, which angle lis constantly increasing from the head to the point of the spike. This pressure will be so slight at the shoulder .D that no abrasion of the Wood can trike place, and the spike A'will remain for anylength of time as firmly embedded in the wood as when first inserted. It will be remarked that l'ny spike isstraight when manufactured,

and describes the segment of a circle iu consequence of the bevellcd endg and shoulder D when driven into the sill. The head of the spike will be plnced on the same side with the shoulder D. Y

I am aware that the bevelled or sloping end, together 'with a shoulder, has been used. The .shoulder and bevelled end are upon opposite sides, and upon a pronged spike. A spike constructed after this manner has certain disadvantages which I propose` to o bviate. I do not, therefore, claim eitherthe bevelled or sloping end, or the shoulder in e broad sense, but whatI do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The Within-described spike, consisting simply of a single shank, provided with a bevellcd oiisloping end and shoulder, said shoulder and bevelled end beingupon the saine side, and for the purpose set forth and described. y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as uly'own I hereby aftix uiysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN McMUR'lRY.

Witnesses:

Guo. C. MeMUR'rnY, AD. J. KnoEsIN'e. 

